The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
~John 12:12-16
Have you ever been to a huge music festival, especially in the pre-smartphone era? Picture crowds of people descending on a town—excited, curious, ready for something to happen. Without technology, the only way to find your friends is with your eyes; the only way to spread news is by talking. The only way to have the experience is to be there.
This is the buzz in the run-up to Passover in Jerusalem. It’s a significant event any year, but this year there’s something in the air. A man named Lazarus has been raised from his tomb—and the man who did the miracle is on his way to the Holy City. Jesus’ disciples are caught up in the moment, in the crowd, in a sequence of events they don’t understand. Things are happening fast, and there’s no pause button now.
From Palm Sunday onward, Jesus’ disciples are swept along by the wave: It rises high, as Jesus is recognized and praised as king. It crashes dramatically as their fellowship fractures at the Last Supper, leading to Jesus’ arrest, torture, and death. And then, just when everything seems to be at the lowest, emptiest, most confusing point—Jesus returns, in glory.
And in the light of that glory—Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit—things make sense. Pieces fall into place; the disciples realize that God’s plan had been playing out before their eyes, but they couldn’t see what it meant. Until glory.
Sometimes we’re all caught up in the waves, in the crowd, in events we can’t understand. Our brightest days can be followed by dark disappointment. When that happens to you, remember Palm Sunday, and picture yourself among the disciples. God’s plan is unfolding all around us—and his glory will ultimately illuminate it.
Today: Can you look back on your life and see God’s hand in events that didn’t make sense as you lived them? Are you experiencing disappointment or frustration in a situation you can’t control or understand? Remember these words from the passage above: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
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Meditations written by Meghan Blosser.